1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an applicator device of a hand-held character which is usefully employed for the application of lotions, salves, and other flowable substances to the human body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the application to the human body of various substances such as skin lotions, suntan oils, skin creams, medicaments, and other substances which are applied to the dermal areas of the human body, a wide variety of applicators, dispensers, and administration means have been developed.
A common problem with the application of such flowable materials to the dermal areas is that conventional application means do not adequately take up and retain the flowable material and subsequently at the point of use do not readily release the material to the skin surface. In addition, known applicator means are generally unsuitable for application of materials to hard-to-reach areas of the body (in self-administration of the application material to the user's own body), such as back areas and rear portions of the shoulders and shoulder blades.
Considering specific known applicator means, cloth articles, and cotton balls or swabs are sometimes used in applying substances to skin areas, but these media are very sorbent and take up the flowable material without ready capability of releasing same, except under squeezing or other compression conditions. In contrast, such high pick-up capability, flat-surfaced applicators such as blades, spatulas, and the like do not provide good retention of many flowable or semi-solid materials, since such materials readily drip or slide off the flat application surface.
It would therefore be a significant improvement in the application of flowable, (e.g., high viscosity) liquids or semi-solid materials to dermal areas of the body, to provide a applicator means characterized by superior material pick-up, retention, and release properties.
It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide such an improved applicator device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an applicator means which is readily adapted to manual self-administration use, to reach normally hard-to-reach areas of the body such as the back and shoulder areas discussed above.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an applicator device of such type, which is simple and economical in character, and readily fabricated in mass production quantities.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.
Relative to the applicator device of the present invention, relevant art includes the reference described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,007,879 to D. Lee discloses a massage instrument adapted to contain oil or other tissue building medication that may be ejected and applied to the body part to be massaged. The disclosed massage instrument contains a hollow body with continuously circular rows of outwardly projecting perforated cone-shaped nipples on its front face. The device is tapped lightly against the skin in use, to discharge a portion of the oil, which then is messaged into the desired skin area.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,846 to M. L. Trochim describes a liquid dispensing device for applying and a massaging on the skin or hair a desired quantity of a liquid such as a lotion or tonic. The applicator comprises a cup-shaped receptacle to hold the liquid and a concave flexible applicator. The applicator is provided with outwardly projecting apertured nipples through which the liquid may be dispensed onto the skin, and a number of rounded projections or knobs to improve the massaging action of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,925,019 to W. Wilson describes a surface treating device incorporating a cup-shaped receiver holding soap lather, massage cream, etc., for application to a particular part of the body through various projections placed on the face of the device.